Cheng Jun shows Ruirui photos of happy past events on a tablet PC. (Photo/Chongqing Evening News)
Last December, a 12-year-old boy named Ruirui fell from the 10th floor of a building and slipped into a deep coma. His father, Cheng Jun, has stayed by his side and told him stories every single day since the accident. After more than 100 days of treatment, Ruirui has finally regained consciousness.
Cheng's family lives in the Jiangbei district of Chongqing, a city in southwest China. On the morning of Dec. 7, 2015, while Cheng was washing dishes in the kitchen, he heard a loud noise, which he initially believed was a car accident. He then looked outside and saw a boy in a school uniform lying on top of a truck.
Cheng and his wife hurriedly ran downstairs, where their son lay on the truck, covered in blood.
Ruirui was sent to the nearby 324th Hospital of the Chinese People's Liberation Army right away. After a 13-hour operation, Ruirui was still alive and his broken limbs had been reset. However, Ruirui was in a coma, and remained that way for months.
Cheng took good care of Ruirui in the hospital, talking to him about happy family events and playing tape recordings made by his classmates. Cheng and his wife decided that even if Ruirui never woke up, they would never give up on his recovery.
On March 31, Cheng suddenly noticed that Ruirui's eyes were moving in response to a photo in his hand. "I was overwhelmed with joy. Later, Ruirui came around gradually," said Cheng. Though Ruirui still can't speak, he can nod and shake his head. And his parents finally learned that he fell accidently while attempting to grab a red scarf hanging outside the window.
Now, Ruirui can do some rehabilitation exercises in his hospital bed.
Pei Jiaqiang, a doctor at the 324th Hospital, said it is a miracle that Ruirui came out of his coma. The doctor believes Ruirui's family contributed a lot to the boy's recovery. "In time, he may even be able to walk. But it is still uncertain whether he can ever return to a 'normal' life," the doctor explained.
